Burnt Offerings (1976)

A family moves into an old, haunted house that regenerates itself by feeding off of the life forces of its injured occupants.

Director:

Dan Curtis

Writers:

Robert Marasco (novel), William F. Nolan (screenplay)

Stars:

Karen Black, Oliver Reed, Burgess Meredith

6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Karen Black	...	Marian Rolf
Oliver Reed	...	Ben Rolf
Burgess Meredith	...	Arnold Allardyce
Eileen Heckart	...	Roz Allardyce
Lee Montgomery	...	David Rolf (as Lee H. Montgomery)
Dub Taylor	...	Walker
Bette Davis	...	Aunt Elizabeth
Joseph Riley	...	Ben's Father
Todd Turquand	...	Young Ben
Orin Cannon	...	Minister
Jim Myers	...	Dr. Ross
Anthony James	...	The Chauffeur

Storyline

Ben and Marian Rolf rent a grand old country mansion as a summer getaway for themselves, their twelve year old son Davey, and Ben's Aunt Elizabeth. They feel they can't turn down the rent deal offered to them by the house's owners, siblings Roz and Arnold Allardyce, despite some reservations. First amongst those reservations, they are to take care of the house on their own, which Ben feels is too big a job, especially for Marian and the interior housekeeping. In Marian's words, the large size of the house is a "waste". And second and perhaps more important amongst those reservations, the Allardyces' aged mother will be staying in her room at the house, the Rolfs who are to provide a tray of food left outside her room three times a day, which Marian vows to take care of on her own, with no other members of the family to go into that isolated wing of the house so as not to disturb Mrs. Allardyce's peace. Upon their arrival at the house for the first day of their stay, they find a note ...

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Plot Keywords:

possession | obsession | summer vacation | old house | house | 

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Taglines:

Up the ancient stairs, behind the locked door, something lives, something evil, from which no one has ever returned. [UK]

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA Italy

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 October 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pesadilla diabólica

Filming Locations:

Dunsmuir House & Gardens - 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Produzioni Europee Associate (PEA), Dan Curtis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On the DVD commentary, Dan Curtis reveals that his rationale for the fog machine was to be able to shoot "motes."

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Goofs

After David (Lee Montgomery) falls from the gazebo and comes back into the house, the graze makeup on his knee is significantly different from shot to shot.

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Quotes

Marian Rolf: Alright, you didn't lock it. It locked itself! Now what about the windows?
Aunt Elizabeth: Well, they were open.
Marian Rolf: They were closed when Ben went into that room. Now make sense, Elizabeth!
Aunt Elizabeth: Well, how can I when you keep shouting at me and accusing me of...
Marian Rolf: I'm not accusing you.
Aunt Elizabeth: Where's Ben? Benji will believe me.
Marian Rolf: I believe you, too.
Aunt Elizabeth: No, you don't. It's obvious.
Marian Rolf: We all forget things, Elizabeth. And at your age...
Aunt Elizabeth: I don't forget things! I know what I do.
[...]

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Connections

Featured in The 50 Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen (2014)

User Reviews

BIG FAN

I've been a big fan of this movie for years, ever since I was about 12. And I've watched as time and time again people have complained about this movie, and I just didn't get it. Now I'm grown up and I see the flaws, but I still don't care. I love Oliver Reed and Karen Black and don't think it could have been acted better. Watching her grow more an more attached to the house is very interesting. The best part I thought was when she surprises her son who drops a crystal bowl that smashes on the floor, and she kneels there, holding the fragments in her hands, sobbing hysterically, almost like a child had died. The boy, Lee Montgomery, I've never had a problem with. The kid from the Shining, now HE was annoying. hehe. And above all, I LOVE how the movie ends. Although it's predictable, it was VERY welcome. Movies with sad, creepy endings that leave you with a shiver always work for me.